5 a.m.
Night still blanketed the city, and the first light of dawn hadn’t broken. The bustling metropolis remained asleep, wrapped in silence, save for the chill autumn wind rustling dry leaves as it cut through the spaces between towering buildings.
At this hour, even the streets that were usually jammed during the day were mostly empty. Only the early-morning street-cleaning vehicles slowly made their rounds, sweeping up the fallen leaves from the ground.
The rumble of a sweeper echoed along the curb as a woman in a thick coat sidestepped the spray kicked up by the vehicle and slipped through the back door of a shop nearby.
The moment she pushed the door open, a wave of warm air carrying a faint floral scent washed over her, thawing the chill that had seeped into her bones. It was still early, but there were already people inside. A young shop assistant was tidying the flower racks and greeted the woman with a smile.
“Miaomiao, you’re here.”
The shop’s lights were fully on, illuminating the carefully arranged interior. It was clearly a high-end florist, with thoughtful decoration and delicate arrangements.
“Isn’t it cold today? I slept on the second floor last night, and I could hear the wind even through the walls,” the young assistant said.
Miao Yi had just removed her scarf and gloves; her fingers were still numb. She cupped her hands, blowing on them for warmth. “It’s freezing. The wind feels like knives against my face.”
The assistant quickly brought over a steaming cup of tea. “Here, warm your hands first.”
Miao Yi glanced through the glass door toward the street. The night was fading, but the sky was still overcast, dim and lightless.
“Looks like it’s going to rain. It’s already been cold these past few days. After this, winter will probably hit for good.”
She sipped the tea with a soft sigh of contentment. “Yeah…”
She looked outside again and reminded the assistant, “Xiaozi, if it rains, don’t put the merchandise outside today. Make sure to lay a non-slip mat at the entrance.”
“Okay,” Xiaozi replied immediately.
The florist always opened early, and the fresh flowers for the day had already arrived. After about half an hour organizing the stock, they were ready to open the shop.
Xiaozi went to roll up the front shutter and set the non-slip mat. Just as she lifted her head, she froze.
“Ah?!”
Outside the just-raised shutter stood a person.
At this early hour, she hadn’t expected anyone to be there. She paused, then cautiously called out, “Hello?”
The figure was standing sideways to the doorway, seemingly trying to shield themselves from the wind through the narrow frame. But it offered little protection. He was thinly dressed, and his ears and nose were bright red from the cold. Even a glance sent a shiver down Xiaozi’s spine in the warmth of the shop.
But when he turned his head at the sound of her voice, her shock turned to awe.
He was… beautiful.
A boy, no older than a teenager, with delicate, perfect features. At first glance, he looked like a young prince who had wandered out to see the mundane world.
The cold seemed to have sapped his strength. When he tried to speak, a harsh, raspy cough cut the air.
“Cough… cough cough…”
Xiaozi quickly slid the door open wider. “Come in first. You can talk inside.”
At the counter, Miao Yi looked over and saw a slender boy step in. Though strikingly handsome, his lips were pale, and his cheeks flushed—he looked feverish, his condition delicate.
He was dressed far too lightly. On a chilly, sunless morning like this, even a long coat would barely stave off the cold that gnawed at the bones. Yet the boy wore only a thin shirt, shivering as if he had just been pulled from a freezer.
But when Miao Yi saw his face clearly, she paused, struck by a faint sense of familiarity she couldn’t place.
Xiaozi let the boy in, watching him cough, unsure what to do. Looking around, she couldn’t find a blanket, so she raised the indoor temperature slightly. Once he’d settled a little, she tentatively asked, “Are you looking to buy flowers?”
The boy nodded, covering his lips, his frostbitten fingers nearly translucent.
“What kind of flowers?” Xiaozi asked.
He managed to speak, voice hoarse: “White… chrysanthemums.”
“White chrysanthemums? Nineteen of them.”
Xiaozi quickly replied, “Okay, please follow me.”
The bucket of white chrysanthemums stood nearby. She led him over. “Do you want to pick them yourself, or take this pre-wrapped bunch? This one happens to have nineteen flowers.”
The boy stared silently at the pure white blooms, lost in thought.
“Sir?” Xiaozi prompted.
He came back to his senses and slowly picked up the pre-wrapped bunch. Cradled in his arms, the flowers made his pale face appear even more delicate.
These flowers weren’t ornamental or elaborate. Xiaozi, sensing his fragility, didn’t press further. “Just this bunch, then? Follow me here to pay.”
She led the way. The boy paused for a moment, then followed.
At the counter, Xiaozi raised the scanner but waited—he didn’t take out his phone. She didn’t push him; the shop wasn’t busy.
She noticed that ever since he’d seen the chrysanthemums, his reactions were slow.
Finally, he muttered, “Sorry… I forgot my money.”
“What?” Xiaozi was surprised, about to offer mobile payment, when Miao Yi suddenly spoke up.
“Then it’s on the house.”
Xiaozi turned to see her boss walking over, smiling. “You’re the first customer today. Consider it a small gift. Come back anytime.”
The boy’s pale expression shifted slightly, surprise evident.
“Thank you…” His voice was hoarse. “I’ll pay you next time.”
With that, he hugged the flowers and left.
“Hey…” Xiaozi wanted to call after him but only saw his hurried retreating figure. She scratched her head. “He’s just going out in that thin shirt?”
“He must be feverish. Standing next to him, I could feel the heat radiating off him. And he seems… distracted, slow to react…” Xiaozi turned to Miao Yi. “Miaomiao, do you know him? Why did he get it for free?”
Miao Yi was still staring in the boy’s direction when the glass door opened again.
The wind chime jingled. Xiaozi turned, curious. Another customer already? Or was it the handsome boy returning?
But when she looked up, her eyes met a pair of piercing, icy light-colored eyes.
She froze.
It wasn’t the boy. It was a tall, imposing man, handsome but exuding frost and authority. The cold wind rushed in with him, chilling the room instantly.
Xiaozi couldn’t even react to greet him. The man broke the silence first.
“What did that person just buy?”
Even a simple question carried such intensity it felt like interrogation. Xiaozi shivered, unsure what to say. If not for his well-dressed appearance, she might have thought he was a robber.
Still, wanting to protect the boy, she didn’t reveal too much. Swallowing her fear, she stammered, “Y-You… why do you want to know?”
The man seemed to immediately sense her hesitation. He pulled out his phone and brought up a photo, holding it up for both of them to see.
The photo showed the same thin, sickly-looking boy from before—but he appeared far healthier than he did now.
The boy was indoors, holding a palette in his hands, with a half-finished painting in front of him. He was looking straight at the camera, clearly aware someone was taking his photo.
A smudge of paint marked his face, yet he showed no intent to hide from the camera. He smiled, bright and cheerful, radiating an unmistakable sense of happiness. His gaze toward the photographer held unguarded trust and affection.
The man said, “I’m his friend. I paid for what he just bought.”
“Oh,” Xiaozi finally snapped back to attention. “He bought nineteen white chrysanthemums, but our boss already gave it to him for free.”
She gestured toward Miao Yi.
The man glanced at Miao Yi, narrowing his eyes. “And you are?”
He had already put his phone away. Miao Yi lifted her gaze from the photo and replied, “It was just a small promotion at our shop—first customer of the day gets their purchase free.”
Xiaozi frowned. Since when did the shop have that promotion?
The man ignored her and asked, “How much is it? I’ll pay.”
Miao Yi didn’t insist. “Xiaozi, print the bill.”
He paid and left. Miao Yi watched his retreating figure, thoughtful.
When she looked back, she met Xiaozi’s face, written all over with confusion.
“Miaomiao, what’s going on? You know them?” Xiaozi blurted, nearly bursting from curiosity.
Miao Yi smiled faintly but shook her head. “I don’t know them personally. But I did see that boy once—two years ago.”
“Two years ago?” Xiaozi asked, startled. She had wanted to ask how her boss could remember a single meeting from so long ago, but seeing the boy’s extraordinary features, she realized it wasn’t so surprising.
A face like that would be unforgettable to anyone.
Miao Yi nodded. “It was winter, at the intersection of Jingshan and Jing’er. Two years ago.”
Xiaozi’s eyes widened. “Wait… that’s the intersection near our shop, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I was watching the store that day when suddenly a crowd formed outside, even blocking the entrance. I went out to see what was happening, and that’s when I saw the boy.”
“Eh? What happened?” Xiaozi asked, curiosity piqued. “Was he the same as he is now?”
“No,” Miao Yi said. “Back then, he looked noticeably younger than now.”
“Ah?” Xiaozi frowned. “But he doesn’t seem that much older now…”
Miao Yi shook her head. “Not age. His aura.”
“Back then, he was lively, vibrant, youthful—far more radiant than he is now. That’s why, when I saw the photo just now, I could confirm it. And that man who came in later… is indeed his friend.”
Xiaozi thought for a moment and nodded. It made sense. When she first saw the boy, her immediate thought had been how handsome he was, but she’d also sensed a weight in him, like he was carrying a thousand-pound burden with every breath sapping his life force.
Seeing the photo, she was surprised—if not for the unchanged perfection of his features, she might have doubted that the bright, cheerful boy in the picture and the somber one in front of her were the same person.
Miao Yi sighed. “That day, there were so many onlookers who thought he was a celebrity filming a scene. But that wasn’t the case.”
“What do you mean?” Xiaozi asked, shocked. “Was it… an accident?”
“Yes.” Miao Yi pressed her fingers to her forehead, speaking slowly. “Two cargo trucks collided. Two people died instantly, including his mother. His father was in the same vehicle and was rushed to the hospital.”
“Later, the news reported… but the surviving victims couldn’t be saved and also passed away.”